The Park Palace theatre, built in 1893, provided years of theatrical performances only to draw its curtains for the last time in 1959.. until now. Park Palace Ponies is a social enterprise driven by an offer to provide riding lessons and engagement with ponies to children and the local community in an inner city context, and with Harrison Stringfellow Architects, is currently in the process of regenerating the theatre to become their home.

As works commence on the building and surrounding grazing sites, an opportunity was taken to open the doors of The Palace to the public again, in the form of a pop up cinema.

Over two days, hundreds of people attended the two film showings, many to reminise on the theatre they once attended, others to finally step inside a building they regularly walked past and ignored. Regardless of previous experience, the chorus of ‘wows’ was the same.

Based in L8, the success of the event was helped by the range of local businesses, schools and residents, keen to support and be involved in Park Palace Ponies.